Muscles account for more than 60% of the human body mass,
making up the largest part of our bodies. They are responsible
for all movement of the human body. With such an enormous
responsibility, it is easy to see how muscles can be subjected to
wear and tear, fatigue, overuse, and repetitive injury.
When we want to move or use our muscles, the muscle
contracts, and this is typically a voluntary action. However,
sometimes the entire muscle contracts involuntarily, which we
call a spasm. Muscles are also subject to another condition,
known as a Trigger Point, which is essentially an involuntary
contraction of only a small portion of the muscle, creating pain
and dysfunction within the muscle. One of the reasons that prescription muscle
relaxants are ineffective on Trigger Points is that the medication would have to be
strong enough to stop all involuntary muscle contractions...one incredibly important
involuntary muscleyour heartmight not agree with this!
Trigger Points have been studied and shown to be the most common cause of
musculoskeletal pain. Pain clinic doctors have found that Trigger Points are the
main source of pain nearly 75% of the time! Trigger Points cause the muscle to
remain tight, which weakens the muscle and puts stress on the points where the
muscles attach to the bones as well. This often leads to pain in nearby joints.
A unique feature that distinguishes Trigger Points from other muscle pain is that
Trigger Points almost always refer pain to other areas of the body. This is why many
treatments are ineffective. Most treatments assume that the area of pain should also
be the source of pain, yet the actual cause could be in a completely different location.
Trigger Points and their referred pain can be associated with many conditions, and
may even cause some of them!
You can learn how to control your musculoskeletal pain by treating Trigger Points at
home, saving yourself from costly professional office visits!
Trigger Point therapy can reduce pain, increase movement, and allows the muscles to
lengthen and become stronger again. To treat Trigger Points, heavy pressure must
be applied to the Trigger Point. Light pressure is not effective for treating Trigger
Points, and in fact may increase spasms as the muscle tries to protect itself, leading
to increased and more constant pain. In contrast, moderate to heavy pressure
applied to a Trigger Point causes the pain to initially increase, but then as the
muscle relaxes the pain will fade.
BURSITIS
Pressure should be applied slowly and released slowly for best results. The pressure
should be maintained until there is a change in pain. If there is no decrease in pain
after one minute, stop the pressurethis is probably not a Trigger Point! After
applying pressure to Trigger Points, the relaxed muscle should be stretched. If the
muscles are not returned to normal length, there is a greater likelihood the Trigger
Points will reoccur. Stretching is safer and less painful after the Trigger Points have
been treated.
FIBROMYALGIA
The Pressure Pointer is the best tool available for self-applied Trigger Point therapy!
TENDONITIS
SINUS PAIN AND CONGESTION
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Pressure Pointer
MUSCLES BEST
TREATED WITH
PRESSURE POINTER
Muscle
Pg
Trapezius
Levator Scapula
Scalenes
Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
Rhomboids
Serratus Posterior
10
Serratus Anterior
11
Thoracic Paraspinal
12
Infraspinatus
13
Supraspinatus
14
Teres major/minor
15
Latissimus Dorsi
16
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Pressure Pointer
advantage during
treatment is that the
target muscles are free
to be taken through
ranges of motion or to
perform specific
stretches while
applying pressure at
the same time. This
just isnt possible with
the hand held devices.
USING THE
TREATMENT MANUAL
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Pressure Pointer
Trapezius Referred
Pain Patterns
Trapezius Stretch
Place right arm behind back, and grasp wrist with left hand,
as shown.
Bend neck sideways to the left while pulling on right arm.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for other side.
Repeat cycle three times, at least three times daily.
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Pressure Pointer
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Pressure Pointer
Posterior Neck
Referred Pain
Patterns
Migraine
headaches, with
pain inside the
head all along one
side generally
result from Trigger
Points in the
muscles at the base
of the skull. Headaches which feel like a constricting
band around the head are also attributed to these
muscles. In addition, these muscles can be a cause of
blurred vision and pain behind the eyes.
Trigger Points in the lower neck muscles can cause pain
in the neck itself, but also frequently cause numbness,
burning, or tingling in the back of the head and scalp.
They can also cause pain along the angle of the neck and
upper shoulder.
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Pressure Pointer
Scalenes Referred
Pain Patterns
Scalenes Stretch
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Pressure Pointer
Although the
SCM muscles are
located toward
the front of the
neck, this is
rarely where the
pain is felt.
Trigger Points in
the SCM mainly
refer pain into
SCM Stretch
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Pressure Pointer
Trigger Points.
Rhomboid Referred
Pain Patterns
The referral pattern of the Rhomboids is not as widely distributed, but nearly everyone
suffers from the pain of Rhomboid Trigger Points. The pain is generally extends from
the edge of the shoulder blades to the spine. Since the Rhomboids on both sides are
almost always affected, this is a primary source of mid back tightness or aching
between the shoulder blades. This pain is felt when the muscles are in use, but also at
rest. Snapping or crunching noises when moving the shoulder can also be traced to the
Rhomboid muscles.
Rhomboid Stretch
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Pressure Pointer
Serratus Posterior
Superior Referred
Pain Patterns
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Pressure Pointer
Serratus Anterior
Referred Pain
Patterns
Serratus Anterior
Stretch
Place right arm behind back, and grasp wrist with left hand,
as shown.
Bend neck sideways to the left while pulling on right arm.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for other side.
Repeat cycle three times, at least three times daily.
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Pressure Pointer
Thoracic Paraspinal
Referred Pain
Patterns
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Pressure Pointer
Infraspinatus
Referred Pain
Patterns
Infraspinatus Stretch
Place both hands on the back at waist level
with palms facing forward.
Lean over and allow elbows to drop toward
floor, until stretch is felt.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat three times, at least three times daily.
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Pressure Pointer
Supraspinatus
Referred Pain
Patterns
Supraspinatus Stretch
Sit on chair (or stand) near wall. Place left arm
straight out to the side with elbow straight, and
place hand against wall.
Move waist sideways away from the wall until a
stretch is felt in the arm.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for other side.
Repeat cycle three times, at least three times daily.
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Pressure Pointer
Teres Major/Minor
Referred Pain
Patterns
Teres Stretch
Place right arm over and behind head with elbow bent, as
shown.
Grasp right wrist with left hand and pull gently, until a
stretch is felt.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for other side.
Repeat cycle three times, at least three times daily.
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Pressure Pointer
Latissimus Dorsi
Referred Pain
Patterns
Latissimus Dorsi
Stretch
Raise right arm above and behind head as shown.
Hold elbow with left arm.
Pull arm gently as you bend your trunk to the left, until
a stretch is felt.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for other side.
Repeat cycle three times, at least three times daily.
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Pressure Pointer
CHEST PAIN
ARM PAIN
Trapezius
Scalenes
Scalenes
Serratus Posterior
Serratus Posterior
SCM
THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME
Scalenes
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Infraspinatus
Serratus Posterior
Teres major
Serratus Anterior
Latissimus Dorsi
FROZEN SHOULDER
Scalenes
Infraspinatus
Scalenes
Serratus Posterior
Supraspinatus
Serratus Posterior
Teres minor
Teres major/minor
Teres minor
Latissimus Dorsi
NECK PAIN (BACK)
Latissimus Dorsi
SIDE & STOMACH PAIN
Trapezius
Levator Scapula
Serratus Anterior
Levator Scapula
Scalenes
Latissimus Dorsi
Serratus Posterior
EYE PROBLEMS
Supraspinatus
Trapezius
Levator Scapula
Teres major/minor
SCM
Latissimus Dorsi
SCM
Trapezius
Infraspinatus
Trapezius
Levator Scapula
Latissimus Dorsi
SCM
Scalenes
SHOULDER BURSITIS
Rhomboids
Trapezius
Serratus Posterior
Supraspinatus
Serratus Anterior
TENNIS ELBOW
Teres minor
Latissimus Dorsi
BURNING BETWEEN SHOULDERS
Trapezius
Rhomboids
Supraspinatus